Furniture makers reach back in time for design inspiration

Both nail heads and rivets are having a moment in contemporary decor. On some pieces, they reinforce traditional elegance; and on others, they offer an urban, edgier aesthetic. The Alpine Estates hair-on-hide ottoman puts a modern spin on Old West furniture.Arhaus.com

The Colburn coffee table from Arhaus is reminiscent of turn of the century steamer trunks. Rivets are an old school fastener now finding new favor as an edgy, interesting decor trim.Arhaus.com

This Ludlam pendant lamp, with its cage of riveted metal, has a modernized, industrial look.Jayson Home

The Shipley side table, part of a collection of tables, is trimmed with rivets, giving it the look of a vintage steamship piece.Jayson Home

The Alex Sable chair evokes the lounge furniture of the 1930s but with an interesting twist. Leather and burlap are combined, and trimmed with nailheads.Arhaus.com

Ludlam pendant lamps. The cage of riveted metal gives the light fixtures an industrial look.Jayson Home

The Shipley side table is part of a collection of tables trimmed with rivets.Jayson Home

The Warp side table is crafted of woven, riveted strips of aluminum, giving it an edgy, contemporary look with a vintage airplane vibe.Jayson Home

The Portsmouth chair, a deconstructed upholstered chair evoking the structure of old sailing vessels, with nailhead trimmed upholstery.Arhaus.com

A Bretton burlap shelf that combines modern lines and a rustic texture is accented with nailhead trim.Jayson Home

The Ludlam pendant lamp, with its cage of riveted metal that gives the lighting fixture an industrial look.Jayson Home

A Bretton burlap shelf that combines modern lines and a rustic texture, accented with nailhead trim.Jayson Home

Adler's Channing screen, done in white lacquer with polished nickel nailheads, is named after Bette Davis' character in "All Above Eve." "Nailheads hit just the right note for today. They're the perfect combo of twinkly glamour and edgy attitude," Adler says.Jonathan Adler

By Kim CookAssociated Press

If you lived in a comfortable home in 17th century France or 19th century England, your chairs might well have been embellished with nailhead trim. It was a clever, decorative way for craftsmen to secure materials to upholstered furniture.

Another old fastener, the rivet, also was commonplace in manufacturing and shipbuilding centuries ago.

Lisa Ferguson, an interior designer in Toronto, trimmed a pair of armless coral chairs with a decorative, antique-brass nailhead design along the skirt. She says both brass and warm satin detailing evoke classic glamour.

"It almost always gives the perception of a more luxurious piece, while adding texture," Ferguson says.

But be mindful of inexpensive trims if you want a luxe look, she adds.

"Attention to detail and craftsmanship is what differentiates the good from the best. Pay special attention to the scale and spacing of the nail heads in relation to the piece of furniture, and always go for metal individual heads over rows of plastic if it is in your budget," she says. (www.lisafergusoninteriordesign.com )

Ballard Designs has a selection of tufted and untufted headboards that you can customize in different fabrics and then finish with brass or silver nail heads. (www.ballarddesigns.com )

Homegoods has some little slipper chairs in fun colors like peony pink, lime green and rich purple, embellished with silvery trim. The trim also edges a svelte bench -- covered in a green, white and black classic pattern -- perched on sleek black legs. All the pieces have a Palm Beach house vibe. (www.homegoods.com )

Designer Jonathan Adler is also a fan of the nail. His Channing screen, named after Bette Davis' character in the movie "All About Eve," is a white lacquered room divider studded with polished nickel nail heads. He also plays with the motif in an irreverent tabletop confection: a clear acrylic obelisk filled with construction nails.

"Nail heads hit just the right note for today. They're the perfect combo of twinkly glamour and edgy attitude," Adler says.

Nailhead trim works well with textured materials; Jayson Home's Bretton shelf unit is covered in burlap and trimmed in brass nails. (www.jaysonhome.com )

Arhaus has a series of interesting chairs that combine recycled leather seats with backs upholstered in woven fabric; the materials meet at a nailhead border.

The Portsmouth chair and settee incorporate the deconstructed trend in furniture with a more refined, finished look. Exposed framing along the backs and woven, grain-sack-textured upholstery are accented with nail trim. The Alpine Estates ottoman is part of a collection of pieces that put a contemporary spin on western style with cowhide, nailhead and wood trim. Or evoke the early days of ship travel with the Colburn steamer trunk, crafted of chestnut leather and set with antique brass nail heads. (www.arhaus.com )

Jayson Home also plays off the vintage industrial vibe in today's decor with rivet detailing on distressed-iron and steel side tables, reminiscent of turn-of-the-century or shipboard tables.

The retailer's Warp and Weft accent tables, made of riveted, recycled woven aluminum, reference World War II aircraft. There is a series of Ludlam pendant lighting fixtures here, too, crafted of caged iron slats and hammered rivets.

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